1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to smoking articles or devices, and, more particularly, to smoking devices which include a fuel element separate from an aerosol generating material with a separate tobacco element which is not burned.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Various smoking devices using a central tube and aerosol generating material are per se known.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,258,015 discloses a smoking device having a tubular member concentric in a body portion. The tube member is filled with a nicotine releasing material such as tobacco or tobacco extract, and the body portion surrounding the tubular member is a heating material such as cut tobacco or reconstituted tobacco having good smoldering characteristics. The tubular member is fabricated of a material of high heat conductivity such as copper or aluminum. The heating material communicates with the atmosphere and may be ignited, but it does not communicate with the nicotine releasing material in the tube member. The heat generated by burning of the heating material heats the nicotine releasing composition inside the tube member sufficiently so as to cause the release of nicotine vapor and any aerosol generating material inside of the tube member.
A cooling chamber is located downstream of the tube member for receiving the nicotine vapor and aerosol from the tube member for cooling the nicotine vapor and aerosol. A filter is located at the end of the chamber.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,356,094 discloses a smoking device similar to the smoking device of U.S. Pat. No. 3,258,015. The smoking device includes a cylindrical body with a concentric tube. A condensing chamber is located at the end of the tube. The cylindrical body is finely cut tobacco. The inside surface of the tube is coated with an additive material which is a composition of nicotine or tobacco extract and silica. The tube is frangible and can be fabricated of inorganic salts. The tube can be perforated so that when the device is smoked, smoke from the smoldering tobacco is drawn into the tube where it mixes with air drawn through the tube containing the nicotine and aerosol material. The smoke and nicotine/aerosol bearing air is then drawn into the chamber wherein it is cooled before entering the smoker's mouth.